There are many theories about why women cheat on their partners and when they do it. One of the hypotheses suggests that women tend to cheat during the period of their greatest ability to conceive and choose for their adventures men of higher quality in the genetic sense. A recent experiment reported in the journal Biology Letters supports this hypothesis and indicates that the scent of a socially dominant man is a turn-on for women in stable relationships, especially around ovulation days.
The experiment, conducted by Jan Havlíček of Charles University in Prague and his colleagues, began with 48 men filling out a questionnaire containing statements related to their social dominance. The men were then asked to place sweat-absorbing cotton pads under their armpits. 65 women in the experimental group smelled the earbuds and rated their sexuality and masculinity.
The results showed that women in the middle of their menstrual cycle, when fertility is at its peak, preferred the scent of men who scored the highest on a social dominance scale. However, this preference did not appear in women at other points in the cycle.
Moreover, scientists note that this effect is noticeable only among women in long-term relationships. This suggests that women's choices are influenced by the phase of the menstrual cycle and partner status. This result supports the mixed strategies hypothesis, which states that women want different things from different men at different times.
As for the reasons for this phenomenon, scientists suggest that women choose socially dominant men during the ovulation period because they may represent a better partner in a genetic sense. Women may also feel more attractive to socially dominant men, which increases their self-esteem and relationship satisfaction.
Overall, this experiment supports the theory that women choose men of higher genetic quality for their escapades, and that the scent of socially dominant men may play an important role in this selection. However, it should be noted that this experiment is not a definitive study on this topic, and more research is required to confirm the results.
In addition, it is important to note that the choice of a partner depends not only on the genetic qualities of a man, but also on other factors such as personality, character and lifestyle. Also, it is worth remembering that not all women cheat on their partners, and each case of cheating has its own characteristics and reasons.
Overall, this experiment showed that during ovulation, women like the scent of socially dominant men, and this may influence their choice of partners. However, mate choice depends on many factors, and these findings require more research to understand exactly how scent may influence mate choice in women.